Born Yèwèbdar Guèbrou on 12 December 1923 in Addis Ababa, into a literary family, Tsegue-Maryam Guebrou in no way belongs to an azmari, or troubadour, heritage but was initially part of Ethiopian high society, a mix of imperial nobility, distinguished civil servants, courtesans and opportunists - a hotbed of power and intrigue, intelligence and glamour. Like her father before her, she was educated in Switzerland where she first learned piano and violin.